Lecture3Part2 - Andrea Mantegna, &amp;quot;Camera degli...

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Unformatted text preview: Andrea Mantegna, "Camera degli Sposi (Room for the Newlyweds)," Palazzo Ducale, Mantua, 1474, fresco Mantua: independent Northern Italian city state ruled by Ludovico Gonzaga Gonzaga commissions decoration of the Camera degli Sposi for his wedding Mantegna: An obsession with Foreshortening in Mantua Scenes from court life and hunt, including himself, family, family, children (took almost nine years to complete), courtiers, domestics>display of Gonzaga splendor Extreme illusionism: figures seem to step out of wall Precedent in Roman wall painting: Pompeii Mantegna: An obsession with Foreshortening in Mantua Andrea Mantegna, Ceiling of the "Camera degli Sposi (Room for the Newly weds)," Palazzo Ducale, Mantua, 1474, fresco Ceiling's room: pinnacle of refinement Illusionistic oculus or eye into the sky Di sotto in s illusion accomplished through foreshortening of cherubs Mantegna: An obsession with Foreshortening in Mantua Mantegna: An obsession with Foreshortening in Mantua
Andrea Mantegna, "Saint James led to Martyrdom," Ovetrai Chapel, Church of the Eremetari, Padua, c. 1455, fresco (destroyed) Iconography: Saint James blessing a believer as he is led to martyrdom; Roman soldiers control the crowd Mantegna: An obsession with Foreshortening in Mantua
Architecture takes precedent over narrative in foreground, especially detail of Roman triumphal arch Experiments with foreshortening enhance drama Vanishing points do not converge Mantegna: An obsession with Foreshortening in Mantua
Andrea Mantegna, "Dead Christ," c. 1501, Tempera o/canvas Most radical experiment in foreshortening yet What is more important: Display of artist's virtuoso skill or subject of worship of Christ? Piero della Francesca: Mathematics and Art in Urbino
Piero della Francesca, "Finding of the True Cross, and Proving of the True Cross," San Francesco, Arezzo, c. 1455, fresco Della Francesco's patron: Frederico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino (small principality, big artistic ambitions) Duke was a condottiere (mercenary general) Piero della Francesca: Mathematics and Art in Urbino
Della Francesca shared de Montefeltro interest in mathematics, geometry and perspective; art as a science Iconographic source: Jacobus de Voragine: Golden Legend; popular, apocryphal Bible stories Left: Excavation of the "true cross" (on which Jesus allegedly died); Right: Proving of the "true cross": a dead man is brought back to life Setting: North Italian town Piero della Francesca: Mathematics and Art in Urbino
Piero della Francesca, "Enthroned Madonna and Saints Adored by Frederico da Montefeltro," Brera Altarpiece, c. 14721474, Oil o/panel Frederico da Montefeltro had himself included on lower ledge and in armor, Piero della Francesca: Mathematics and Art in Urbino
Barrelvaulted chapel in background rendered with mathematical precision Strong, central symmetry of composition Ostrich egg suspended over the altar: symbol for Virgin Mary The Late 15 Century
th Change of intellectual climate in the late 15th Century Florence: Dominican monk Girolama Savonarola Condemnation of humanism and Renaissance hedonism as "heretic;" return to Christian values Manages to oust the Medici under Lorenzo de'Medici Artists loose one of their most important patrons Change in mood across Italy: emphasis on sin, repentance Signorelli: A Vision from Hell
Luca Signorelli, "Damned Cast into Hell," San Brizio Chapel, Orvieto Cathedral, 14991504, fresco A possible example of Savonarola's effect Vision of the damned (sinners) as they are punished in hell Signorelli: A Vision from Hell
Iconography is very Medieval Body types, style of rendering is not Bodies follow the canon of classical beauty from Antiquity Start next lecture by finding out about this canon ...
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